Beautiful Avignon

Today we arrived in Avignon, France. It's a small walled city situated on the banks of the Rhone River. Avignon is unique in that the entire city is still within the medieval walls.

Avignon was at one time the location if the head of the Catholic Church. A French pope decided to move the Catholic Church from Vatican City to Avignon-where he was originally run. The Italians disagreed with the move, rejected the Pope, and elected a new pope to run the church from the Vatican. This power struggle lasted nearly 100 years. During which time the church was being run by two popes.

Avignon is a beautiful, well preserved, historic city.

The pope built this castle and cathedral upon moving the church to Avignon. 

By lucky coincidence we happened to be there for the Avignon Festival! I've never seen so many weird street performers in my life.